Is this you? As a journalist, you can create a free Muck Rack account to customize your profile, list your contact preferences, and upload a portfolio of your best work.
Claim your profile
Articles by BRAD MINORArgus-Press
Lume lights up Owosso
OWOSSO — People lined up Tuesday for a chance to be among the first customers at Owosso’s first recreational marijuana store. Lume, 116 N. Washington St., which opened at 10 a.m., was also Owosso’s first medical marijuana dispensary to open on Jan. 22. Owosso City Council member Dan Law was the first person to make a purchase. “I took the morning off work so I could be here,” Law said. “I think it’s something that’s been a long time coming. It’s almost like the prohibition on alcohol.
Riverside display
OWOSSO — Shiawassee Arts Center officials say the gallery is highlighting its most diverse exhibition of the year — and much of it is on sale. “We have stuff all that only costs a dollar all the way up to thousands of dollars. There really is something for everyone,” Karen Marumoto, exhibits director at the SAC, said. The show opened Nov. 9 for a private members-only viewing and then to the general public Nov. 10. The show runs through Dec. 31. There are more than 90 Michigan artists on display.
Respite Volunteers announces annual awards
OWOSSO — Respite Volunteers of Shiawassee County Thursday honored volunteers for their efforts in helping community members cope with caring for family members. The group’s mission statement, “A gift of time and caring support to adults with persistent health needs, and their families,” describes its goal of providing time for caregivers to take care of themselves. The group hosted its annual meeting and volunteer appreciation dinner Thursday at the Shiawassee Arts Council.
Winter season hits early for Road Commission
CORUNNA — The cold and snow have arrived, and the Shiawassee County Road Commission is preparing for what could be a nasty winter. The calendar says November, but the county already has experienced one significant snow storm that canceled school Tuesday, and now record cold temperatures are descending on the state. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the Great Lakes region is expected to have higher amounts of snow than usual this year.
Chesaning student leads effort to clean veterans’ yards
CHESANING — Chesaning senior Keegan Nicol recently led a group of fellow students who did yard work for nine area veterans. On Nov. 1, Nicol and nearly 60 classmates loaded into two buses and spread out throughout the village, raking and bagging leaves for the veterans. Nicol said besides doing the work, it was nice to get to spend some time with the veterans. He said he and his classmates are appreciative of their service.
County board finalizes grants for variety of projects, programs
CORUNNA — The Shiawassee County Board of Commissioners Thursday approved several grants covering such things as site readiness for development, court programs and health department funding. n The first grants the board voted on were applications for Community Development Block Grants, one of which is potentially associated with “Project Tim.” The Board of Commissioners Committee of the Whole conducted a pair of public hearings for the grant applications Wednesday.
Grant could aid Project Tim
CORUNNA — Shiawassee County commissioners Wednesday advanced a grant application that could smooth the way for a development known as Project Tim in Vernon Township. The Board of Commissioners Committee of the Whole conducted a pair of public hearings for grant applications for site planning, including one associated with “Project Tim.” Both grant applications advanced for potential final approval today.
County advances decommissioning proposal for Assembly Solar
CORUNNA — The Shiawassee County Board’s Committee of the Whole Wednesday advanced a motion to approve a decommissioning agreement with Assembly Solar to ensure the county will not bear the costs of returning land to its original state in the event the solar farm fails. The proposal ensures about $2.6 million will be available to decommission the solar farm. It is 125 percent of the expected costs of decommissioning the three sites.
STUDENT OF THE WEEK: Morrice senior answers a call to serve
MORRICE — Amber Nanasy has her eyes set on a life of service after she finishes her senior year at Morrice. She plans to join Youth With a Mission (YWAM), which teaches young people how to be missionaries. She will head to California for discipleship training school, which lasts about three months. “It will be like a campus living situation where we are focused on growing our relationship with God,” Nanasy said.
Powering up
OWOSSO — Dozens of area residents took part in a job fair Tuesday and Wednesday at The Armory as Phoenix, Arizona-based McCarthy Building Companies sought workers to help construct a new solar farm planned in Hazelton and Venice townships. McCarthy has been contracted by Assembly Solar, which is owned by Ranger Power, a solar energy development company based in Brooklyn, New York, to construct the 239-megawatt solar farm.
Former industrial site contaminated with PFAS
OWOSSO — State officials say two monitoring wells located on the vacant site of the former Partz Corporation tested positive for elevated levels of PFAS in September and that could potentially lead to contamination of the Shiawassee River. The tests were conducted by the Michigan PFAS Action Response Team which operates under the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy (EGLE). PFAS are man-made chemicals that include PFOA, PFOS, and other compounds.
Getting the information out
MIDLAND — Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel told the public Thursday that the Freedom of Information and Open Meetings acts are some of the most important laws the public can rely upon to increase government transparency. Speaking to media members and the public during a presenation at the Midland library, she said the laws help the public make sure their government is open and transparent, or as transparent as the law allows.
Health department urges precautions to avoid EEE
CORUNNA —The Shiawassee County Health Department (SCHD) is sounding the alarm about Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE), a mosquito-borne virus that can kill within days. “It’s a fairly deadly virus. Right now the state is pushing people to be vigilant. If they’re going to be outside near dusk they need to wear insect repellent and long sleeve clothing,” Larry Johnson, director of SCHD said.
A gift that goes both ways
OWOSSO — Pam Starkweather is “retired” but still puts in more hours each week than most between her part-time job and the time she spends at Memorial Healthcare working in the Four Season’s Gift Shop. Starkweather has been working in the gift shop at Memorial for 19 years and has no plans to stop any time soon. “She just does everything, she’s involved with everything that’s part of the hospital auxiliary. I think it’s great that she runs the Four Seasons gift shop.
PerryFest ready to welcome residents
PERRY — What started as a way to showcase its downtown businesses has now become the 17th annual PerryFest, taking place Saturday. “It started after we did some work on our downtown a while ago and the city leaders and business owners wanted to come up with a way to show off the new and existing businesses. Since then, the event has continued to grow every year,” PerryFest coordinator Dori Boertman said.
Committee names Sorenson new treasurer
CORUNNA — The committee tasked with selecting a replacement for Thomas Dwyer, the long-serving county treasurer who retired last month, Wednesday selected chief deputy treasurer Julie Sorenson for the position. “I have quite a bit of experience with tax collection and I look forward to more time doing it, I really enjoy the position,” she said. “I’m very excited to take over and I hope to do a good honest hard working job here.” County Commissioner Cindy Garber, R- District 6, former State Rep.
STUDENT OF THE WEEK: Heralded CHS athlete looks ahead to medical school
CORUNNA — Elizabeth Norris, a senior at Corunna High School, plans to follow in her father’s footsteps by becoming a surgeon — in part with help from an athletic scholarship to the University of North Dakota. She is the daughter of Robert Norris and Nicole Norris and has one older sister Meredith, who is 20. “(Elizabeth is) currently ranked No. 1 in our class right now academically.
Moolenaar tours district
OWOSSO — As Congressman John Moolenaar prepares to head back to Washington for the House’s fall session, he toured the 4th Congressional District and stopped in Shiawassee County Wednesday to meet with business leaders and update residents on various issues. “We head back to D.C. on Monday,” he said. “This week we’re in a district work period and I’m traveling around the district.
An investment downtown
DURAND — Bart Harris’ newly remodeled State Farm Insurance office offers customers a walk downtown and it’s just what he and his wife were envisioning when they undertook the project. The office, 209 N. Saginaw St., formerly was an auto parts store and a restaurant before Harris purchased it last year. “When I purchased it the building was completely empty, it just had a little office and a bathroom. We wanted to come in and do something unique with the space.
Officials showcase jail garden
CORUNNA — Some inmates at the Shiawassee County Jail are fortunate enough to spend their days in the garden, rather than locked behind bars. According to Sheriff Brian BeGole, the program, now in its second year, yielded more than 13,000 pounds of produce in 2018. The garden is situated at 1042 N. Shiawassee St. In its first season, the garden was just a quarter of an acre. This summer, the garden nearly doubled in size.
Adding to the supply
CHESANING — Area residents now have a second option for seeking medical marijuana in the village of Chesaning as a second dispensary officially opened Thursday. ReLeaf Provisioning Center, 144 W. Broad St., is located in what formerly was a hardware store. ReLeaf is owned by investors operating under the name TRC LLC. They also operate, or plan to open, medical marijuana facilities in Lapeer and Niles.
County committee opens application period for treasurer
CORUNNA — County officials say they are working through an unfamiliar situation as they begin the task of selecting a candidate to replace Treasurer Thomas Dwyer, who abruptly announced his retirement this month midway through his term.
Durand expects big turnout for car show
DURAND — The 30th annual End of Summer Cruisin’ Car Show takes place Saturday in downtown Durand — and with sunny weather on the horizon, organizers are hoping for a big turnout. “Last year the numbers were down a little because of the rain, but this year the forecast is looking perfect so we’re getting a lot of registrations and we’re excited for a big turnout,” Greater Durand Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Candyce Wolsfeld said.
Morrice Catholic parish looks forward to festival
MORRICE — St. Mary Catholic Church is gearing up for its 35th annual fall festival, which takes place Sept. 6-8. “It originally began as a way to bring our parish community together and also to raise some funds for projects that we had that were going on in the church. It’s just continued to grow and so have the projects we’re able to do,” church secretary Cindy Garrison said.
Morrice Junior/Senior High School welcomes new principal
MORRICE — Students at Morrice Junior/Senior High School started the academic year Wednesday with a new face on campus as Amy Leffel took over as principal. “The first day was amazing. I’m so thrilled to be here, we really have a great group of kids. I actually got to spend lunch with my seventh through ninth and then the 10th- through 12th-grade classes,” Leffel said. “Morrice is a really close-knit community — which I really enjoy.
Superheroes, princesses to raise money for cancer battle
CORUNNA — McCurdy Park will be filled with superheroes, villains and fairytale creatures Saturday, all trying to raise money for cancer research. The “Knock-out Cancer” event — beginning at 10 a.m. — is being hosted by Jill Seely and Gordon Garcia and their Relay for Life team, Charlie’s Angels. Seely started Charlie’s Angels in honor of her husband, who died of leukemia in the early 1990s, and has been involved with the organization for almost 20 years.
Car show helps draw fair to a close
CORUNNA — A father and son duo took home the top prize at the seventh annual Shiawassee County Fair Car and Motorcycle show Saturday. The show, on the last day of the fair, saw 36 entries, according to organizers Cameron Durocher and Brian Jones. Durocher took a 1929 Ford Roadster. “The goal is to keep this thing growing year after year.
Drain office offers Misteguay owners chance to save money
OWOSSO — The bids are back and Shiawassee County residents now can find out how much they will be paying on their property taxes to fund the long-delayed Misteguay Creek Intercounty Drain project — and even save a few dollars if they move quickly. The final payment amounts will appear on residents’ 2019 winter tax bills, according to Shiawassee County Drain Commissioner Tony Newman.
Perry police, fire depts. invite people out for the night
PERRY — Community Policing, a strategy through which officers focus on building ties in their community, has gained in popularity lately within departments nationwide. In Perry, officers hope to strengthen ties between themselves and residents by hosting a “National Night Out” from 5 to 8 p.m. Tuesday under the pavilion next to city hall. “It’s a chance for the community and the officers to get to really know each other on a personal basis,” Perry Police Chief Kyle Bawks said.
State announces grant funds for villages, Durand
SHIAWASSEE COUNTY — Three municipalities — the villages of Bancroft and Morrice, and the city of Durand — all have new neighborhood improvement projects in the works, thanks to grants from the state. The Neighborhood Enhancement grants were awarded by the Michigan State Housing Development Authority (MSHDA) this week. The MSHDA awarded $1.4 million to 37 different local governments, among them Morrice, Bancroft and Durand. Bancroft and Durand each received $20,000 and Morrice received $18,989.
Owosso manager outlines tax programs
OWOSSO — City manager Nathan Henne Monday outlined for city council members how tax abatements have provided the city with greater income to benefit residents. Henne led council members through a discussion on current tax abatement programs in the city and their status. Tax abatements reduce or eliminate property taxes a person or developer pays in exchange for building a new structure or rehabilitating an existing one.
Arc collects shoes to raise money
OWOSSO — The Arc of Mid-Michigan is collecting “gently worn” shoes throughout the summer as part of its latest fundraising effort. The Arc is teaming up with funds2orgs, which helps non-profit organizations raise money. Lynn Grubb, the executive director of The Arc of Mid-Michigan, discovered the organization funds2orgs and the shoe fundraiser when she was researching different ways to raise money for the Arc.
Cruising in support of kids
OWOSSO — Classic cars and trucks will be bumper to bumper this weekend in downtown as the Cruise the Pits car cruise and show kicks off. “Cruising the Pits” as it’s called, is a tradition in Owosso dating back to the 1950s, according to Mark Agnew, president of the Cruise the Pits committee. The late Jim Hahn, who owned the Sunoco station on North M-52, cruised the pits before Agnew’s time and told him a theory about how the term “cruising the pits” came about.
MONDAY SPOTLIGHT: Passion creates right mix
OWOSSO — Brandon Hook, the volunteer sound engineer for the Owosso Community Players, said it’s his passion for sound and what it can do to a performance that keeps him coming back. Hook, who handles the sound technology for major shows at the Lebowsky Center, grew up graduated from Owosso High School in 2000. He attended Kettering University, where he studied electrical engineering. And for the last 12 years, he’s been working as an acoustics engineer for an automotive parts supplier.
Byron parade float spurs controversy
BYRON — According to Cindy Garber, officials in the village of Byron were opposed to the inclusion of a President Donald Trump-themed float in this year’s Byron Family Fun Day Parade, but only relented after public outcry The float, known as the Unity Bridge, is owned by Rob Cortis. He has taken it across the nation to various events, including President Trump’s inauguration.
Elsie Dairy Festival invites public to annual event
ELSIE — The 2019 Elsie Dairy Festival is moving to a Friday through Sunday schedule this year, rather than Thursday through Saturday as in years past. Elsie Dairy Festival board president Carolyn Long said the committee in charge believes the move will help attract more people to the longtime festival. “It’s just the community getting together, its like halfway through the summer and the kids get to see their friends from school again.
Chesaning medical marijuana moratorium ends
CHESANING — The village council June 30 took no action and allowed a 180-day moratorium on medical marijuana licenses to expire — opening up the village once again for new business applications. The village initially passed the moratorium in 2018 and extended it for an additional 180 days in January. “The initial passage of the moratorium was simply to let us catch our breath. We were just getting inundated with calls and applications,” village administrator Troy Feltman said.
A return to homecoming
MORRICE — The Morrice Homecoming Festival made a comeback this year. After not taking place in 2018, according to village Trustee Belinda Markell, officials decided to change up the format of this year’s festival to boost attendance. The parade, which in years past took place in the early afternoon, kicked off at 7 p.m. and traveled down Main Street. “We decided to go with a late parade this year because if you look around people are staying in town to enjoy themselves.
Perry Twp. passes marijuana business ban
PERRY TWP. — The township board approved an ordinance June 5 to “prohibit the establishment of marihuana facilities establishments within the boundaries of Perry Township,” but that may not be the final word on the topic. The ordinance took effect June 6. According to Supervisor Mark Fulks, the goal was just to stop dispensaries from setting up in the township until the state has finalized guidelines for them, which is expected to happen in December.
Wastewater plant upgrades proposed
OWOSSO — City officials moved ahead Monday with plans to repair equipment at the wastewater treament plant before the facility suffers a critical breakdown. The city council Monday approved an application for roughly a $5.6 million loan from the state for upgrades. “You’re are not approving the projects tonight, however, we will lay out the priorities if we do obtain the loan,” Director of Public Services Glenn Chinavare told the council.
Owosso council OKs $7.74M general fund budget
OWOSSO — The city’s 2019-20 budget, approved Monday night, calls for less spending from the general fund than during the current year. The general fund is the city’s primary operating fund. The new budget calls for $7.74 million in spending, compared to $7.75 million last year. The largest expenditures in the general fund are for the police and fire departments. For the upcoming fiscal year, the city expects to spend $2.02 million on its police department and $1.9 million on its fire department.
Curwood volunteer’s years of service recognized
OWOSSO — Jestin Rubelman first got involved with the Curwood Festival as a 12-year-old and that longtime connection has only grown over the years as he’s taken on the chairmanship of several events and joined the board of directors. During this year’s festival, the Curwood Festival board selected Rubelman as the volunteer of the year for 2019. The award was announced June 7 during the festival. “This was actually my 19th year volunteering for the Curwood Festival,” the winner said.
Litigation over, major drain project out for bids
OWOSSO — After years of litigation and negotiations, the Misteguay Creek Intercounty Drainage Board — comprised of Shiawassee, Genesee and Saginaw counties — is moving forward with a multi-million dollar project. The main portion of the project will repair dikes in Saginaw County that have eroded. “This project is basically flood control for 15,000 Saginaw County residents,” Shiawassee County Drain Commissioner Tony Newman said.
Owosso advances sewer plan
OWOSSO — The city took the first step Monday in applying for a $4.9-million loan to fund projects that will reduce sanitary sewer overflows and repair structural problems in pipes and manholes. The loan is jointly administered by the Michigan Municipal Bond Authority and the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy, formerly known as the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality through its Clean Water State Revolving Fund for Wastewater Collection Systems.
Apps roll in at deadline
OWOSSO — City officials revealed Monday they received 110 applications to obtain one of just four medical marijuana provisioning center licenses it plans to award. The deadline to apply for a license was Friday and 90 applications were filed on the final day. At the council’s April 15 meeting, members set a 30-day window from May 1 to May 30 for people to submit applications for medical marijuana provisioning center licenses.
Life before electricity
CORUNNA — Fourth-grade students from Corunna schools traveled the Shiawassee River like the French voyageurs of old, and made candles to light up the night Wednesday during the district’s annual “encampment” in McCurdy Park. “An event like this is important because it gets the kids out of the classroom and they get to learn something hands on. They get to go beyond just sitting there and listening or reading about the material and they get to actually experience it,” teacher Kelly Rowe said.
Planning commissioner fills seat on Perry council
PERRY — Longtime Perry Planning Commission member Mindy Galbavi was appointed to the city council recently to fill the seat of the late Karen Davis. The city council unanimously voted to support the appointment. Galbavi will serve through 2022. “Mindy brings a lot of experience and may be one of the best prepared people to take this position. She’s shown me over the years that she really cares about this community,” Perry Mayor James Huegelet said. Council member Karen Davis died in April.
Owosso awaits applicants for medical marijuana sites
OWOSSO — As of Tuesday, the city had yet to receive any applications for the four medical marijuana dispensary licenses it plans to award in a lottery drawing in June. According to building official Brad Hissong, despite the lack of formal applications there has been interest. “There have been a lot of people in here actually inquiring about them. A lot of pretty big companies that have been in here asking questions about how the process is going to work,” he said.
MONDAY SPOTLIGHT: Local company plans park project
OWOSSO TWP — American Recycling Center, a company that specializes in recycling rubber products, is planning to resurface the playground at Harmon Partridge Park with donated rubber material and labor the weekend after Memorial Day. “It’s important that we give back to the community that has helped us become successful. The tagline we like to go by here is building communities through play and recreation,” said Casey Lambert, operations manager at American Recycling Center.
Relay for Life set for Saturday
CORUNNA — The annual Shiawassee County Relay For Life — which celebrates cancer survivors and remembers those who have died from the disease — takes place from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday at McCurdy Park. The one-day event, moved from the Shiawassee County Fairgrounds to the park for a more central location, includes events to honor those who fought or are battling cancer, various ways to donate and different events to engage people who are attending.
Show More
loading
Actions
Is this you?
As a journalist, you can create a free Muck Rack account to customize your profile, list your contact preferences, and upload a portfolio of your best work.Get in touch with BRAD
Contact BRAD, search articles and posts on X, monitor coverage, and track replies from one place.
Learn more about Muck Rack